In Red Bloom
by mew-tsubaki
Summary: For Sinny.T now, maybe M later; continuation of "Sidle Along, Dear."AU, after GOF. Tonks is the young Auror playing the big boys' game, but she's been playing for a while. She loves Lucius and maybe he, her, but they are about to be outed. R&R, thanks!
1. Consequences

**In Red Bloom**

A HariPo fanfiction

by mew-tsubaki

Note: The _Harry Potter _cast belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me. This is a kinda alternate ending/continuation of my one-shot "Sidle Along, Dear." It's a songfic as well as an entry for my HPFC forum topic, found here (Just take out the spaces!): **http : // forum. fanfiction. net/ topic /44309 /25299326 /1/** So here's to another fanfic for Lucadora (Lucius/Tonks) lovers –especially you, **Purist Sin! **Read, review, and enjoy! And check out and join the forum challenge! Song used: Clazziquai's "Futuristic." Check them out! :)

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

**Chapter One: Consequences**

_"One is only afraid of the people one cares for." –Kazi Shams_

She let the song's beat pump through her, giving her just the right amount of energy. She knew she'd need it; the butterflies in her stomach would not quiet. And here he came.

Funnily enough, she found herself dancing with him. Oh, how good it felt to have his touch again. His fingertips danced a tarantella across her arms, he was so caught up in her energy. She didn't mind, though.

_**We are at virtual loving time**_

_**And I am thinking, "What a mess"**_

_**All I want from you, baby, is just a little dance**_

Yes, she was here to spy, to gather information. She wished that Mad-Eye had not forced this mission on her, despite his idea of her being the "hopeful blunder." So what if she was clumsy? Lucius didn't seem to mind. No, he didn't mind at all.

_**I know the world we're living in**_

_**All these things we do**_

_**You want me, I want you**_

_**You hold me, you love me**_

Who was she kidding? She loved seeing her Luce again, even if she was on enemy territory. He crushed his lips on hers, hinting at something animal, something instinctual. She fought against his embrace a little bit, but she wasn't in any real danger with him. They both liked it when she fought just a smidge.

He broke for air, but she looked up into his grey eyes and drew him closer. She clung to his neck and kissed him deeply. Yeah, they were enjoying every minute of this.

_**Now, now let me out**_

_**I want to take you in my arms, I want to feel…**_

_**Now you dance with me**_

_**Come to in my arms, oh yeah**_

_**Now I set you free**_

_**I want to look into your eyes to see the magic, yeah**_

_**Now, now come on out-**_

_**Futuristic dance solo, yeah**_

Merlin, she loved him so much. Tonks didn't know when interest had become lust or when lust had become love, but she knew it when she felt it. Though her crush on Lupin still floated in the back of her brain, Lucius was the only one that occupied her heart. She'd wanted him for so long in so many ways…though she knew he wasn't entirely hers. Tonks knew that she was more emotionally involved in this…whatever it was they had.

No… That's not right. He _must_ love her. When she was sure the Death Eaters up a level had heard whispers of a spying newcomer, the enemies had come down, but Luce had zeroed in on her immediately. She was sure it wasn't only his eyes guiding him, but his heart as well.

So now they danced. She half-heartedly smirked against his cheek. "I didn't mean to be chosen for this mission," she whispered sadly. She wanted him to know the truth. "But they wanted me here. At least you got to see me." She grinded with him, enjoying the music's surging power over her body.

_**We are at virtual loving time**_

_**We're moving and moving and moving**_

_**And the future will make me into a fusion girl**_

Tonks liked that he was so much taller, bigger. She fit perfectly in his arms. It was the one place where she didn't mind feeling little. He grabbed her wrist and guided her into the shadows, obviously displaying that he did not see her as…"little," either.

_**I know the world we're living in**_

_**All these things we do**_

_**You want me, I want you**_

_**You hold me, you love me**_

She was a little surprised that he brazenly swept her away to make-out when they were still on enemy territory. In fact, he looked like he could care less about his fellow Death Eaters still out on the dance floor, looking for the spy… She knew Lucius had only one thing on his mind: her. He kissed her and kissed her and kissed her and –she moaned. She had forgotten just how amazing those little kisses on her jaw and neck were when he toned it down and did his task chastely. Inwardly, she snorted. Nothing like chaste kisses for a turn-on.

_**Now, now let me out**_

_**I want to take you in my arms, I want to feel…**_

_**Now you dance with me**_

_**Come to in my arms, oh yeah**_

_**Now I set you free**_

_**I want to look into your eyes to see the magic, yeah**_

_**Now, now come on out-**_

_**Futuristic dance solo, yeah**_

"Luce…," she breathed, her mind fuzzy from his passion.

"Just –Just let us have this moment, Nymph," he muttered, using his special nickname for her. He leaned his forehead on hers, and she ate him up, not really caring about her mission. Everyone called her "Tonks" and she hated "Nymphadora" –but she'd been "Nymph" ever since they'd first met. So Nymph she was.

_**All this time our love is making you and I…**_

_**Your kiss and your breath turn me on, turn me on**_

_**And now…and now…and now…and now…**_

Nymph heard shouts. Lucius cradled her in his arms, a pained expression painted on his face. "Bloody hell…," he groused. "We don't have as much time today."

She frowned, catching her breath and bearings. The severity of the situation washed over her, and not even Luce's arms could chase away the cold she felt. "What will happen to me?"

"Nothing. I won't let them capture you."

"But you might get caught!" she hissed at him. She glared and her pink, spiky hair turned a violent red-violet.

"Nymph," he muttered, grabbing her chin and forcing her brown eyes on him. "We will not be caught. But I won't stand for it if you were because you refused to listen."

She frowned again and nodded. "All right…" She formed a plan. "I have an idea: I'll knock you unconscious."

Luce gave her a look that made her giggle. "You want to hit me?"

Nymph snorted, not caring that it was very unbecoming. "Don't worry! I love you, Luce," she said without elaborating on her plan. She waited for him to say he loved her, too. He never had before, and she wondered if she could force his hand in this emergency. It vaguely occurred to her that _she_ was being the evil one right now and he was trying to protect her and be good.

_**Now, now let me out**_

_**I want to take you in my arms, I want to feel…**_

_**Now you dance with me**_

_**Come to in my arms, oh yeah**_

_**Now I set you free**_

_**I want to look into your eyes to see the magic, yeah**_

_**Now, now come on out-**_

_**Futuristic dance solo, yeah**_

"Luce…?" she asked almost inaudibly. He was so quiet. Had she pushed him too far? Worse, did he really not care like that?

He gritted his teeth as more shouts sound behind them. "Don't start."

_**Dancing for your love…**_

The wizard led his witch back out onto the dance floor. "Run when I say to," he ordered as he scanned the crowd. She wondered for who he looked. She hoped it was not his wife, her Aunt Narcissa. That woman was so jagged one could carve a wand on her.

_**Dancing for your love…**_

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded. "I'm not sorry I love you," she stated as she looked up at him. She wanted him to understand at least that much.

_**Dancing for your love…**_

He quieted and then kissed her once more, so gently that she could feel…_love_. "I know," he intoned. "I l- _Run._"

Nymph turned her head just in time to see a flash of light before it went black.

_**Dancing for your love…**_

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**Ooh, a cliffie! I know where this is going…Haha! I have really come to love Lucadora and this is a fun fanfiction for me to do, so there will be several chapters here. I wonder how long it'll be… Oh, and please note: In "Sidle Along, Dear," I incorrectly wrote Clazzi's lyrics "…**_**eyes to feel the magic…**_**" –it's actually "**_**see**__** the magic**_**" and I have made that correction in this first chapter here.**

**Other than that… Please review! Thank you! XD Up next: ****Ch.2-Playing**

**-mew! :3**

**Thanks for being (b)an (b)awesome Beta, Morghen!**


	2. Playing

**In Red Bloom**

A HariPo fanfiction

by mew-tsubaki

Note: The _Harry Potter _cast belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me. This is a kinda alternate ending/continuation of my one-shot "Sidle Along, Dear." It's a songfic as well as an entry for my HPFC forum topic, found here (Just take out the spaces!): **http : / forum. fanfiction. net/ topic /44309 /25299326 /1/** Read, review, and enjoy! And check out and join the forum challenge!

For **Purist Sin!**

Song used: Ai Otsuka's "360 Degrees." I love her stuff, but it's in Japanese, so I just used the translation of the lyrics here.

- ^-^3

**Chapter Two: Playing**

_"Care is the actualization of love assumed." –Doc Childre_

_**Ferris wheel, merry-go-round…**_

Lucius pursed his lips and turned to the Death Eater approaching him. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was only Rabastan Lestrange.

The wizard with the coal black hair and electric blue eyes walked right up to him. "It was her, wasn't it?" he asked Lucius lowly.

The Malfoy frowned. "Am I really that transparent?"

"Only to me."

The blonde grimly smiled. If only Rodolphus knew how _not_ loyal Rabastan was to his brother, sister-in-law, and the Dark Lord… In reality, Rabastan was loyal only to himself and to Lucius. One could even daresay they were friends. This had happened after Lucius –not Rodolphus –had saved him from an unusual bit of torture from the Dark Lord last year when killing Potter had not worked at the Triwizard tournament. That torture out of which Lucius had talked the Dark Lord would've killed Rabastan. Rabastan might be crazy, but he was sane enough to appreciate what life he had left.

"She's on her way, too," Rab said, indicating Narcissa.

"Damn it all…" Lucius sighed as he saw his wife head upstairs to the meeting room. "Am I in for it today?"

Rabastan shook his head. "I doubt it. She never wanted the Mark, anyway, and never got it." He followed Lucius to the foot of the stairwell. "How about you go up and talk to the missus, then? I'll stand guard down here."

"Thank you, Rabastan," Lucius said and he headed up. When he opened the door to the meeting room, he found Narcissa alone at the head of the table with a frown on her face. "Narcissa."

"Lucius."

He closed the door behind him. Already his positive emotions from seeing Nymph died down.

_**Too much in this useless love**_

_**No, I hate this…hate this…hate this**_

His blonde wife smoothed a wrinkle on her jacket. "It was her again, wasn't it?"

The wizard sneered as he strode over to her. "Like you're one to talk, Narcissa. I'm not the one into half-giants.

She reddened at that. "I-I've known him nearly all my life. At least he isn't a Metamorphagus half my age," Narcissa spat.

_**Too much in this useless love,**_

_**But I love it…**_

He couldn't help a small smirk after hearing "Metamorphagus." But his smirk quickly faded. He wished he had not tossed Nymph out like that. Lucius knew she would be all right, but a small part of him couldn't stop fretting to some small degree.

Merlin –why did he have to be married to Narcissa Black?

_**Labyrinth of love**_

"Is that why you've come, Narcissa? So we can chastise each other about our respective lovers?"

The blonde woman frowned. "No… They can't be helped." With a flick of her wrist, she slashed her wand and all entrances sealed shut and the room was magically sound-proofed from possible eavesdroppers. "There might've been some semblance of affection at the beginning of our marriage, but it was only a matter of time before I returned to Rube." She raised an eyebrow. "But I could _never_ have foreseen that you'd fall for your niece."

Lucius nonchalantly shrugged. "You can't blame me for wanting a woman with personality."

"Bastard."

"Bitch."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "So what's the plan?"

"The same as always: Feign what we know. If asked, I'll just say some whore entranced me, but that I took care of her. What's _your_ excuse for missing the meeting?"

Narcissa smirked. "I don't have to lie. I was with Bella. She and I were having a drink over some…_important_ matters." At "important," Narcissa's blue eyes darkened and Lucius understood she worried.

"Draco?" he asked.

"No, at least not yet." She coughed and darted her eyes around the room, wary of her spells' ability to stay up and work well. She beckoned her husband to sit in front of her. "You and I have always wondered if the Dark Lord would ever take a special interest in our son…"

Lucius looked at her in surprise. "At only fifteen he's gotten the Dark Lord's attention? That's younger even than your late cousin Regulus!" He couldn't help his proud grin. "Draco's very talented. It's high time he was recognized."

Narcissa pursed her lips. "According to Bella, the Dark Lord is not yet going to act on Draco, but he seems to have ideas for our boy." She knit her brow with worry. "Lucius, I will _not_ lose my son to this cause!"

He sighed, his wife's worry starting to eat at him. He didn't want to lose Draco, either…but he also wanted to remain in the Dark Lord's good favor.

"…make a decision," she said as he paid her attention once more. Narcissa glowered at him. "Either keep playing with your little toy, or leave her and focus your efforts on keeping Draco alive."

Lucius paled. How could he turn Nymph away?

_**The answer is rolling round and round.**_

_**I give up!**_

He hung his head as Narcissa shifted a little more comfortably in her chair. She knew such an ultimatum would only tear him up inside.

But Lucius could not just let Nymph go. She was not the "toy" Narcissa thought of her. He and Nymph had risked too much to merely be fooling around.

_**Ferris wheel, merry-go-round…**_

_**I love you…but I hate you…**_

The wizard's eyes widened as he dwelled on the thought. No, of course they weren't just fooling around, but- He _cared_, but-!

_**No, I hate this…hate this…hate this…**_

He realized, with a curse, just how wrong Narcissa was –and just how right Nymph was. Sure, his sentence had been cut off when he'd told Nymph to run, but…but…!

_**Too much in this useless love,**_

_**But I love it…**_

Shit. He wasn't just attracted to her. He was _in love_ with Nymphadora Tonks and he didn't know for how long he had been.

_**Labyrinth of love**_

With a verbal curse, Lucius abruptly stood. It made his wife start, but he didn't care. He had to quell his thoughts, lest someone use Legilimency on him and find that he was not as evil a Death Eater as he should be.

"Get up and get out. I'll see to Draco if he is brought by," the Malfoy man stated brusquely. He hurried his wife out and left the room himself.

Downstairs, Rabastan looked surprised to see that the couple was done arguing so soon. "That was quick and quiet."

"She spelled the room, obviously." Lucius started walking away. Merlin, he needed fresh air, not the dingy, sweat-dampened fog that was a result of the gyrating bodies on the dance floor.

"What's got you in a snit?"

The blonde wizard gulped in the fresh air right outside. The sky wasn't very dark. The moon shone so brightly that he had to squint. "Well…," he began very slowly in a low voice, "…we have a problem. And I was stupid enough to be the cause."

_**Ferris wheel, merry-go-round…**_

_**I love you…but I hate you…**_

- ^-^3

**Ooh, so what exactly does Lucy-baby think is the problem? I wonder if we'll ever know… :3 By the way, that was a hint of NarcissaxHagrid –pairing by Morghen, 1****st**** fic for them by me (it's "Glimmer Gold, Girl" on my page –go read it!). Narcrid is just as awesome as Lucadora and I felt I had to give both Lucius and Narcissa some blame. I wouldn't want just him cheating anyway…but is it really cheating when you're with the one you love? … Yes, it is, but it makes for great fanfiction. :P Merlin, I'm playing Voldy's advocate today, haha!**

**So review! Next up: Chapter 3-"Little White Lies" Please look forward to it! And thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts, everyone! XD**

**-mew! :3**

**You're such an awesome Beta, Mor! Thank you so much –with Reggies on top, even! This deffo beats doing math homework! XD**


	3. Little White Lies

**In Red Bloom**

A HariPo fanfiction

by mew-tsubaki

Note: The _Harry Potter _cast belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me. This is a kinda alternate ending/continuation of my one-shot "Sidle Along, Dear." It's a songfic as well as an entry for my HPFC forum topic, found here (Just take out the spaces!): **http : / forum. fanfiction. net/ topic /44309 /25299326 /1/** Read, review, and enjoy! And check out and join the forum challenge!

For **Purist Sin!**

Song used: Ma'aya Sakamoto's "What'cha Gonna Do?" This is from the anime movie _Escaflowne: The Movie._ The song's originally in French, so I just used the translation of the song again, *lol*.

- ^-^3

**Chapter Three: Little White Lies**

_"To love someone who does not love you, is like shaking a tree to make the dew drops fall." –Proverb_

_**Uh-oh**_

Tonks gritted her teeth. "Aah, that hurts…!"

_**Uh-oh**_

The brown-haired witch before Tonks frowned. "Tonks, you landed on your chin last night. Of _course_ the resulting bruise is going to hurt."

Tonks glared at the wizard off to the side. "I wouldn't be hurting now if I hadn't been forced into that ridiculous mission last night."

"No," corrected Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, "you wouldn't be hurting now if you hadn't screwed up."

The Metamorphagus counted slowly in her head to abate her anger.

_**Bom bom bom bom bom**_

_**Bom bom bom bom bom**_

_**Bom bom bom bom bom**_

_**Bom bom bom**_

"Alastor…," the brunette –Emmeline Vance –warned. "Don't further aggravate her."

_**Uh-oh**_

"No. You _learn_ to control your emotions, Emmeline," Mad-Eye spat. He glared right back at Tonks. "Do you hear me, Tonks?" he asked gruffly.

Tonks puffed out her cheeks, her irritation only growing.

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do, baby?**_

"…yes," she slowly answered. She knew she was the student here, and she _had_ to learn from her mistakes.

"Good. So what happened? You didn't seem to be in there for long. You weren't dancing with that filth, right?"

The Metamorphagus both reddened and paled. Oh, crap. She wouldn't tell them about Lucius –but every mission demanded a debriefing! What would she tell them, though…?

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**I'm dreamin'**_

"Obviously she had to dance to blend in," Emmeline pointed out.

Tonks breathe a sigh of relief. Thank Merlin for Emmeline's quick reasoning! It was one of many reasons for Tonks to consider Emmeline like a caring older sister.

Mad-Eye growled. "Be that as it may… I would still like to know how you could've blown your cover so fast."

"I didn't blow my cover!" Well, she didn't…entirely.

"I don't believe you," he groused, his magical eye on her.

_**That doesn't get past it**_

_**Did ya pass the twitch?**_

_**Total wealth**_

_**So where's the loose screw?**_

"If I'd blown my cover, would I be alive and sitting here bickering with you?" she shot back.

Mad-Eye opened his mouth and then shut it, thinking better on it.

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do, baby?**_

"Thanks, Emme," she told Emmeline. She felt her chin; thanks to Emmeline's medi-work, the swelling had disappeared and the skin was no longer tender. Tonks was sure she'd see that the bruise had disappeared, too, if she looked in a mirror.

Emmeline smiled at the display of gratitude. "You're welcome." She paused and her white skin flushed slightly. "Umm…so what _did_ happen in there?"

Tonks groaned. She never would've become an Auror if she'd known it meant everyone was always prying secrets from her! "I did dance," she finally confirmed.

"And?" Emmeline prompted.

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

The young Auror pursed her lips, hoping her cheeks weren't as red as they felt. She couldn't help but think of her Luce. Although… He had refused to say that he loved her. He'd started to say _some_thing before telling her to run, but it could've just as easily been "I like you" that he was about to say. Yes, he cared enough to keep her out of harm's way, but that could've easily just been for him to keep his reputation intact. As her thoughts took this dark turn, she hated that she doubted him. Maybe she'd gotten over her Lupin crush too soon… Maybe Luce was a hopeless love…

_**It's perfect!**_

_**Napa-nepa-nay**_

_**Do you see the fatal withering?**_

_**The penniless rise up and pass the pinch**_

_**Exaltation is the ability to live**_

_**A ridge you must climb by yourself?**_

_**No, no!**_

She wet her lips, hoping words would not fail her as she tried to tell the false tale. "I infiltrated and made my way onto the dance floor. I seemed to blend in okay, like Emme said."

"So what went wrong?" Mad-Eye asked.

_**Bom bom bom bom bom**_

_**Bom bom bom bom bom**_

_**Bom bom bom**_

Tonks fiddled with her sleeve cuffs. "I'm not really sure…" Okay, so that was actually kinda true. It vaguely occurred to Nymph that she hoped half-truths were as harmless as little white lies. "The next thing I knew, some Death Eaters came downstairs and spread out like they were looking for someone." The witch felt a little guilty surge of triumph –that had been one full-truth! Really!

"Who were the Death Eaters?" Emme inquired.

_**Uh-oh**_

Leave it to Emmeline to get right back to the point. "There were only a few…"

"Like…?" Mad-Eye prodded. He said it calmly –meaning he was starting to seriously lose his patience with her.

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do, baby?**_

__"Rosier," she supplied, "Evan Rosier, Avery, Mulciber, Yaxley –ugh, he's so creepy –the seniors Crabbe and Goyle."

"The Malfoys and Lestranges must've been plotting with You-Know-Who elsewhere," Mad-Eye supposed with a grimace.

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**I'm dreamin'**_

"Erm, yeah." Hey, she could agree to that without consequence. Those families _could've _been elsewhere and Mad-Eye hadn't asked if any specific Malfoy had been present.

"That's ruddy info we got. There should've been a meeting of the higher-ups," the wizard thought aloud.

"There was, though." When both looked at her, Tonks inwardly kicked herself. That was a little _too_ much truth she'd offered!

_**That doesn't get past it**_

_**Did ya get past the twitch?**_

_**Total wealth**_

_**So where's the loose screw?**_

"I thought you said you'd seen only those six," Emmeline reminded her.

"Well…yeah, I did… But they've –well, Rosier and Avery and Yaxley –they've been in the group for so long. Aren't they kinda…I dunno, important? Like the others?" She prayed they bought this, too.

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do, baby?**_

Mad-Eye snorted and leaned on his cane. "Ah, ya still have a lot to learn, Nymphadora."

Emmeline cringed as Tonks jumped to her feet. "Don't –call me –'Nymphadora'!"

"Calm yourself," he ordered. "We'll have another mission in the coming week. You can prove yourself then."

She was stunned by the info. "Oh?"

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

_**What'cha gonna do?**_

"Yes, we're part of the Advance Guard that's going to protect Harry Potter on his journey to-"

"Emmeline! That's enough!" Mad-Eye snapped.

Tonks gaped at that snippet of info. Potter? _Harry _Potter? _The_ Harry Potter? The son of her cousin Sirius' two best friends? And the _Boy-Who-Lived_?

A nagging voice reminded her that he was the archenemy of her lover's master and therefore…trouble? Was he really? After all, Lucius was on the bad side… But that didn't make Luce _evil_… It just made him…misguided. Yeah, Lucius was just misguided. How could she have ever doubted those silver-gray eyes?

But just because she'd resolved that Lucius was _not_ a hopeless love didn't mean she would have to stop fighting on the side of the light. Nope, she would protect Potter and keep him from the Death Eaters. Err…she wasn't playing with fire here, was she…?

Luce's rare smile that only she ever saw came to the forefront of her mind and answered her question.

_**It's perfect!**_

_**Napa-nepa-nay**_

_**Do you see the fatal obsession?**_

_**Take aim, rise up, and pass the pinch**_

_**Exaltation is the ability to live**_

_**A ridge you must climb by yourself?**_

_**No, no!**_

"You should drink something," Emmeline interrupted. "Your cheeks are flushed rather feverishly, Tonks. Are you all right?"

"Oh-oh, yeah!" Tonks waved her off, though she wished Emme had not snapped her out of her reveries so soon. Her thought-self had just been enjoying a delicious French kiss with dream-Luce…

_**Pass some blame and get rid of the wrong**_

_**No more frustration!**_

Emmeline impishly smiled as if she really _were_ Nymph's older, all-knowing sister. "Ah, thinking about someone?"

_**Pass some blame and get rid of the wrong**_

_**No more frustration!**_

_**No more frustration!**_

Mad-Eye growled. "I'm outta here," he mumbled. He left the Auror office as he did _not_ want to stay for little _witchy_ talk and gossip.

Tonks narrowed her eyes at Emmeline, trying to fight her hair and cheeks from turning the same shade of Expelliarmus red. "Are you?"

The brunette hadn't expected it to be turned around on her. Emmeline quickly recovered. "I asked first."

_**Di-ya, di-ya, di-ya, I'm going to love!**_

_**Who's your pal?**_

Tonks whistled. "Well…I may have a crush."

The office went silent. Tonks looked at Emmeline, who averted her eyes and coughed. Nymph's hackles went up. He hadn't made a sound…!

"I, uh, came to inform you," Remus Lupin started. Tonks was so embarrassed that she couldn't even turn around to look him in the eye. She'd been chasing after him for a little bit –though her one true love was Lucius –so talking about something so stupid in front of him-! He coughed. "I, uh, see you're busy here. I'll just go."

_**Di-ya, di-ya, di-ya, I'm going to love!**_

_**Who's your pal?**_

Emmeline groaned. "Oh, Tonks, I'm so sorry. I should've let it drop."

"No, it's okay," the Metamorphagus said with a sigh. "I've just about gotten over him. But that was bloody awkward!" The two witches shared a nervous chuckle at that.

_**Pass some blame and get rid of the wrong**_

_**No more frustration!**_

"Are you really going to let Lupin go? You seemed to really like him."

Tonks shrugged. "There's someone else. Ah! I mean-"

"It's okay," Emmeline said with a smile. "You don't have to tell me –now. I just hope that I'll meet him some day. I mean, he must be _something_ to have won your heart."

"Enough about me," Tonks urged. She took the coffee right out of Emme's hands. "Who's made you so curious about other people's love lives?"

_**Pass some blame and get rid of the wrong**_

_**No more frustration!**_

_**No more frustration!**_

Emmeline tugged a little at her blouse's collar. "Eh, must I?"

"What? Owl got your tongue?"

"You didn't tell _me_ anything!"

_**Di-ya, di-ya, di-ya, I'm going to love!**_

_**Who's your pal?**_

"I'll give you a hint –he has the Greatest Abs."

Tonks quirked an eyebrow. "What the hell kind of bloody clue is that?" She thought for a moment. "…okay. Here's my hint –he's a graceful, Slim Fay."

They laughed. "Merlin, listen to us! We need to focus on the upcoming mission, Tonks, not these silly matters."

Inwardly, Tonks was berating Emmeline for calling trials of the heart "silly matters."

_**Di-ya, di-ya, di-ya, I'm going to love!**_

- ^-^3

**So who's Emme in love with? And will Tonks ever tell anyone that she's in love with Lucius? Could you even understand their little hints? And how's that other mission gonna blow over? Review and you may find out… XD**

**Up next: Ch.4- "Marked"**

**So review, everyone!**

**-mew! :D**

**Thanks to Morghen who is SUCH an (S)AWESOME (S)BETA! XD**

**Check out my one-shot, "Crystalline," to find out the answer to that first question above (meaning it's a bit of a spoiler…but whatever! *lol*) –siriusly, it's the first story ever done for that pairing –a pairing that's mine! YAAAY!**

**And check out the banner Sin made for the story! It's some DEFFO yummy Lucadora goodness! Thanks so much, Sin, for the banner! It's the first time anyone's made something like that for me! :3**


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